I made these Chunky Monkey Cupcakes to celebrate the opening day of Disneynature's Monkey Kingdom.
This version of the Chunky Monkey Cupcake is so moist and delicious, largely because of the pudding in the cake recipe.
To make this recipe even more mouthwatering, there's fruit filling! Why not make a batch of Chunky Monkey Cupcakes to snack on this afternoon?
It’s no secret that bananas are good for you. Not only are they packed with potassium to promote heart health, but they’re also a great source of vitamins and fiber, and can help you lose weight while still staying full!
Bananas can also help you manage your blood pressure, so you can have a sweet but healthy snack without loading up on too much sugar or carbs.
And speaking of healthy snacks, bananas are the perfect treat for your own little monkeys! They’re low on fat, sodium, and cholesterol, and help to encourage strong bone and muscle growth.
Bananas are in season all year ‘round and come in a convenient yellow carrying case—what’s not to love?
What You Need to Make Chunky Monkey Cupcakes
Gather your ingredients. To make the cupcakes, you will need flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, vanilla, vegetable oil, eggs, milk, sour cream, and banana cream pudding mix.
For the apple mixture that goes inside the cupcakes, you'll need apples of your choice, water, and sugar.
To make the frosting, you'll need unsalted sweet cream butter, powdered sugar, imitation banana extract, heavy whipping cream, yellow food coloring, caramel for drizzle on top, along with 2-3 bananas depending on size. You'll need 18 banana slices, ½ - ¾ inches.
Cupcake Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.
Add dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Sift together.
Mix liquid ingredients together. Once the liquid ingredients are fully combined, mix the liquid and dry ingredients together.
Add eggs to the mixture, beating until totally combined.
Pour batter into lined pan until ¾ full, and bake at 350° degrees for 15-18 minutes.
Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Once completely cool, use a small scooper or spoon and scoop a hole in the center of the cupcake.
Cooked Apple Directions
Peel, core, and chop apples into small pieces. Add water, apples, and sugar to a pot and cook on stove until the apple chunks become tender.
Cool apple mixture in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours. Fill the hole made with the cupcake scooper with the chunky cooked apples.
Frosting Directions
Mix soft butter with sugar in stand up mixer until they look like small rock pebbles. Add whipping cream and continue to beat at medium speed. Add 2 drops yellow food coloring.
Add in the imitation banana extract. Continue to mix until frosting stands in stiff peaks.
If the peaks aren't stiff enough, add powdered sugar at ½ C at a time until the peaks form and stand.
Apply the frosting to cupcakes in a pastry bag with tip. (This Wilton pastry bag is the one I use.)
Drizzle with caramel and a thick banana slice on top.
If you're a Disney fan, check out these 17 Amazing Disney-themed cupcakes!
Monkey Kingdom is one of the Disneynature films. It's educational and fun, so be sure to see it with the whole family.
Save these Chunky Monkey Cupcakes to Pinterest for Later!
Chunky Monkey Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For Cupcakes
- 2 C flour
- 1 C cocoa
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ C granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ C vegetable oil
- 4 eggs room temp
- ½ C milk
- 1 C sour cream
- 1 3.4 oz banana cream pudding
For the Cooked Apples
- 4 apples of your choice
- 2 C water
- ½ C Sugar
For Frosting
- ½ C unsalted sweet cream butter
- 2 C powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoon of imitation banana extract
- 2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 2 drops yellow food coloring
- Caramel for drizzle on top
- 2 large bananas
Instructions
- To Make CupcakesPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.
- Add dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Sift together.
- Mix liquid ingredients together. Once the liquid ingredients are fully combined, mix the liquid and dry ingredients together.
- Add eggs to the mixture, beating until totally combined.
- Pour batter into lined pan until ¾ full, and bake at 350° degrees for 15-18 minutes.
- Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Once completely cool, use a small scooper or spoon and scoop a hole in the center of the cupcake.
- For the Apple FillingPeel, core, and chop apples into small pieces. Add water, apples, and sugar to a pot and cook on stove until the apple chunks become tender.
- Cool apple mixture in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours. Fill the hole made with the cupcake scooper with the chunky cooked apples.
- For the FrostingMix soft butter with sugar in stand up mixer until they look like small rock pebbles. Add whipping cream and continue to beat at medium speed. Add 2 drops yellow food coloring.
- Add in the imitation banana extract. Continue to mix until frosting stands in stiff peaks.
- If the peaks aren't stiff enough, add powdered sugar at ½ C at a time until the peaks form and stand.
- Apply the frosting to cupcakes in a pastry bag with tip. (This Wilton pastry bag is the one I use.)
- Drizzle with caramel and a thick banana slice on top.
Sam
I made these tonight. I actually did things a little different being that I am a baker with my own business. I did the sugar and oil first mixed for a few minutes, then added in eggs. Put the flour, cocoa, pudding mix, baking powder and sugar in a bowl and stirred it. Put my milk, vanilla and sour cream in a bowl and mixed it. Then added everything into the sugar and eggs, alternating dry and wet, starting with dry and ending with dry. I actually ended up with 24 cupcakes
Kelly Stilwell
Thanks, Sam. It's been forever since I've made these. I'll have to try your method and see how it works out. Were they on the smaller side? How was the flavor?
Jennifer
Hi Kelly--these look yummy! Questions:
1. Approximately how many standard sized cupcakes does the recipe make;
2. What is drizzled over the frosting; &
3. Did you use food color to tint the frosting yellow or did the banana flavoring you use do that?
Kelly Stilwell
So sorry I'm just seeing this, Jennifer! 12 standard cupcakes. Caramel is drizzled over top. Yes, 2 drops of yellow food coloring to tint frosting. Recipe has been updated.
Desiree
How much butter is used in the frosting?
Kelly Stilwell
Sorry, Desiree. It was supposed to say sweet cream butter.
Rebecca
How do you keep the banana slices for garnish ripe and not from browning?
Kelly Stilwell
Hi Rebecca! You can either slice just before serving or soak them for a couple of minutes in lemon or pineapple juice. They will still retain the color. Happy New Year!
Liann
How many cupcakes does this recipe make?
Kelly Stilwell
12 standard cupcakes
Melissa
what is the stuff drizzled on top of the icing?
Kelly Stilwell
Caramel
BJ
How many cupcakes does this make? Looks yummy:)
Kelly Stilwell
12 standard cupcakes
Melissa
I would serve these with a scoop of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey. Double delicious 😀 New follower! Come say hi sometime! http://www.facebook.com/thehappyidiot
Tori
I CANNOT wait to try this! So glad I found you on Hit Me with Your Best Shot!
Kelly Stilwell
Thank you, Tori!! Let me know how you love them 🙂
Reyna Ayala
So do you make the instant pudding or just add the packet to the dry ingredients?
Olivia Rodriguez
About how many cupcakes does this recipe make? And will chocolate lovers love this recipe?
Kelly Stilwell
12 standard cupcakes
Lou Lou Girls
Okay, I'm drooling right now! Looks so good. Pinned and tweeted. I hope to see you on Monday at 7, we can't wait to party with you! Lou Lou Girls
Must Love Home
Hi there Friend, you are so creative! Thank you for joining in at the Friday Favorites Link Party! I hope to see you there this week:) Christine -Must Love Home
cathy
Yummmmm! This is a great recipe! I would love for you to share this at my party Making Memories Mondays going on now! Hope to see you there!
Cathy
Kelly
Thank you, Cathy! I appreciate that!
Mel @ Adventures of Mel
Oh wow, these look so scrumptious! And I can't wait to see that movie with the boys. Thank you for sharing at Inspire Me Wednesday. Featuring you in this week's issue.
Kelly
Thank you for visiting, Mel! I've seen it twice and you and your family will love it!
Mary Ellen
These cupcakes look and sound wonderful. Pinned.
Sandra
I have some bananas that have been waiting on this recipe!
Ashley
Hi there! Visiting from the Weekend Re-treat link party. These looks so pretty and delicious! I love chocolate and banana together! I'm pinning for later!